There’s really nothing that beats great food that has been cooked on your outdoor kitchen, enjoying the weather and company of family and friends. So to prepare for springtime outdoor dining, step up your alfresco cooking with these classic outdoor grilling recipes.
Grilled pork chops
With the right expertise and tools, your pork chops will always turn out flavoursome and tender. We suggest whipping up a simple marinade for the pork to give it some extra moisture. We also recommend investing in a good quality meat thermometer so that you can keep your meat from overcooking.
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup honey
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- Red pepper flakes
- 4 boneless pork chops, about 25mm thick
For the marinade, mix together the honey, soy sauce, garlic and red pepper flakes in a large bowl. Experiment with various marinade flavours but whatever you decide to mix together, just be sure to include some sort of acid as this helps to tenderise the meat. You could use lemon juice, coriander, balsamic vinegar or even lime juice.
Pour the marinade over the pork chops and then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. If you have time, we recommend that you marinate the meat overnight so that you can really allow the flavours to seep in deeper.
Heat the grill over medium heat. Cook the pork chops until seared, at least 8 minutes per side. You can also check the internal temperature of the meat. Remove the chops from the heat once their internal temperature has reached 63℃. This will ensure they are perfectly succulent and juicy. Leave them to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Classic burgers
For the ultimate tender burger, get ground beef that’s 80 percent lean, 20 percent fat.
Ingredients:
- 500g ground beef
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp melted butter
- 4 slices of cheese
- 2 white onions, finely sliced into rings
- 4 hamburger buns
- 2 large tomato, sliced
- Cos lettuce
- Tomato relish
- Aioli
Form beef into 4 thick patties. Generously season each side with salt and pepper. Create a wide, shallow indent into the centre of each patty.
Fire up the grill to high heat. Grill patties until there’s a hardened crust and the meat is no longer pink- this should take about 6 minutes. Flip and quickly brush each side with butter. Grill for 3 more minutes then add the cheese. Continue to grill until the meat is cooked through to your preference.
(For well-done patties, the internal temperature should reach 74℃; for medium-well, 66℃ to 68℃; for medium, 63℃ to 66℃; for medium rare, 60℃ to 63℃; and for rare, 57℃.)
Meanwhile, fry up the onion until it’s perfectly caramelised and brown. Assemble the burgers with the desired fillings. We suggest spreading one side of the bun with relish and the other with aioli, and then adding lettuce, beef patty, tomato and some onions on top. Serve and enjoy!
Grilled chicken wings
Perfect for happy hour and easy to prep, grilled chicken wings are alfresco staples you should never pass up.
Ingredients:
- 1kg chicken wings
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- Vegetable oil
- Limes, for squeezing
Mix the lemon zest, salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme and cayenne together in a bowl. Pat chicken wings dry and place in a separate bowl. Pour the mixture onto the chicken wings and make sure all sides are coated well.
Fire up the grill to medium heat. Brush grill grates with vegetable oil. Grill the chicken wings, turning occasionally, until the skin is crisp and the meat is fully cooked. This should take approximately 20 minutes.
Serve chicken wings with preferred dipping sauce and a squeeze of lime and enjoy!
Cook like a pro in your AlfrescoPlus outdoor kitchen!
AlfrescoPlus offers a variety of outdoor kitchen modules that can be used to suit your alfresco area and your budget. Our DIY outdoor kitchen range offers style, quality, functionality and versatility, and the AlfrescoPlus™ patented framing system ensures a seamless and robust cabinetry solution. We bring together market-leading appliances, premium materials and award-winning services to make your dream outdoor kitchen a stunning reality.
Don’t hesitate to call us on 1300 174 876 or send us an email at info@alfrescoplus.com.au for enquiries or more information.
